Coin-counting machine



July'l4, 1925. 1,546,014

I c. L. DOWNEY COIN COUNTING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1922 4 heets-Sheet 1 (LMa LL/QI 'V M m A fro/Mfrs,

July 14, 1925. 1,546,014

(3. L. DOWNEY COIN COUNTING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1922 4 Sheetg-Sheet 2 ATTOP/VZKS.

C. L. DOWNEY July 14, 1925.

COIN COUNTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 v Filed March 2 1922 July 14, 1925. 1,546,014

C. L. DOWNEY COIN COUNTING MACHINE Filed March a, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F/' I A 69 5 54 j A T TO/PA/f r15.

' reference being r to 1 s crimaan'r tan nowlvnr, or cmormva'ri, onto.

C'QTJT-CGUNTING MACHINE.

Application filed March a, 1922. s'riai No. 540,491.

. chines of the character in which coins of various denominations can be counted and the number of coins counted in any one batch can be limited by an apparatus previously set by the operator, whereby the machine can be used in filling coin tubes.

My machine operates on the known principl of a rotating disk feeding coins cen- .tr1rugally. against a star wheel, which'engages the coins and the rotation of which by the coins operates the counters,

It is my object to provide a pawl and ratchet carrier and a movable stop and to provide a fixed stop which cooperates with a coin blocking device, which holds any coins sent out centrifugally from coming into mesh with the star wheel, whereby I may count a number of coins desired as arranged by the adjustment of the movable stop without permitting, any overfeed.

It is my object to provide means for regu' latingthe diameters and'thicknesses of coins which can be forced against the star wheel at anyone time, thus excludingthe possibility of two coins feeding out at the same time and destroying the accuracy of the. count. I am able to make this regulation possible by a single adjustment, because coins of varying diameters also vary in thickness according to a fixed principle arranged in the minting of the These objects ""nd other advantages to be noted I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement" of parts to be hereinafter more specifically pointed out and claimed. i

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the top ofa machine made according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a detail section showing in plan view the parts of the machine with the top of the device broken away.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the count ing mechanism.

Figure 4 is a detail side elevationshowing the means for ad usting the machine for various coins.

Figure 5'is a side elevation showing them mechanism for revolving the table and the wheels for feeding the coins past the star wheeli .Figure 6 is a detail side elevation of the adjusting mechanism for sizes of coins, this 5 showing being omitted in the other views.

I Figure 7 is a plan view of the parts shown;

in Figure 6.

Figure 8i'sa detail perspective of the pawl and ratchet controlling device.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 3. i

Figures 10, 11, and 12 are a plan and side elevations of the latch member. Figures 13 and 14: are a plan view and side elevation of the sleeve member.

Figures 15 and 16 are side elevations of I the rotating pin.

Figure 17 is a plan view ofthe detail parts shown in Figures 10 to 16 in assembled position with the pawl member.

Refrring' to the machine in general, it has a casing 1 and a top 2, said top having a slanting coin chute 3, along which coins slide'to the hopper of any desired coin tube 35 filling device. There is a hopper 4 forming part of thetop, within which hopper the top is cut away to clear a revolving table 5.

It will be noted that the table 5 is left entirely clear except for-a deflecting tongue 6 secured'to the hopper walljand extending out in close relation to the top of the table alongside the aperture in the hop er wall.

The hopper Wall has an aperture on the level of the table,- which has a straight side 9 at the one end and a slantin side 8 at theother. The coins are force centrifugally out through the slot by the action of the disk and enforced by the tongue 6. Any

excesscoins ride over the top of the tongue,

which will be of the thickness of the thinnest coin.

In a housing 9, forming part of the top, is a shaft 10 carrying a star wheel 11 (Figs. 2

and 3) and a pinion 12 above it, said pinion 12 meshing with a pinion 13 which carries a beveled pinion 14. The beveled pinion 14' meshes with a beveled pinion 15 on the end of the shaft 16 of the counter mechanism 17.

The star wheel is on the level of the chute 0 in the machine top and extends sothat its teeth will extend into the chute at one side feed wheel 19.

' 25 tion.

35 dle or head 37 and a pointer 38.

thereof; The chute is formed with a slot 18 (Figures 1 and 5) beneath which is a feed wheel 19 extending up to the level of the chute, and an idler wheel 20 mounted on a 5 stud set in a boss of the housing rests closely above the wheel 19. p

The handle 21 operates a shaft 23. This shaft has a gear 24 thereon, which, by a train of gears 25, 25 and 27 operates the 10 vertical shaft 28, which revolves and sup- 20 tact frictionally with coins flung out of the hopper and down the chute.

On a vertical shaft 22 (Figs. 2,..3and 8) are the gears, pawls'and stops, which limit ttn number of coins to be fed by one Opera This shaft is spring-held'to the left (Figs. 3 and 9) by a spring 22 .coiled around the shaft and connectedtoa post 22.

There is a loose collar or disk 32 on this 3 shaft, which carries a depending arm 33.

This collar has fast thereon a gear 34, which meshes with a pinion 35' on a stud 36. The stud 36 carries on the top of the machine, in which it is mounted, a manipulating han- Upon turning the head 37 the pointer travels over a circular scale 39, which will indicate the number of revolutions of the star wheel possible at any one setting, the arm 33 constituting the movable stop hitherto referred to. I

Loose on the shaft 22 is a gear 40. A pawl carrier 41fast on the shaft carries a pawl 42, which meshes with the teeth of a 4 ratchet 43, that is fast on the upper side of the gear. The gear 40 meshes with a small pinion 41 on the shaftlO of the star Wheel.

The pawl 42 is provided wit-h a spring 44 Fig. 8 which is mounted on the hub of the 50. ratchet 43 and this spring is tensioned to bear against the engaging end of'the pawl. When the pawl is moved to engaging position with the ratchet teeth the spring 44 bears against the outer face of the endof the pawl and when the pawl is moved to position out of contact with the teeth of the ratchet, a bent end ofthe spring snaps by the end corner of the pawl and holdsthe pawl out of contact. A horizontal groove as .60 indicated in Fig. 8 may be fo-rmed in the end of the pawl to keep the spring 44 in alignment.

Thus when the pawl is rocked so that its point is out of contact with the ratchet 43,

65 the shaft 22 may be revolved, thereby .has a finger 48 extending up throng slot in the coin chute, so asto engage the ween e swinging the pawl over the gear 40 until [the stop arm 33 strikes the point of the pawl. 'The stop arm has its face beveled to force the point into mesh again with the ratchet, whereupon the gear 40 will be fed around with the shaft 22 until the pawl strikes a'positive stop ,tobe described, which blocks the pawl, the ratchet, the gear 40, the shaft 22 and the star wheel shaft 10.

This positive stop is constructed in connection with mechanism for forcing a stop into the path of coins issuing from the table at the instant of stoppage of the machine and for tipping the pawl ready for another measured count.

Q11 a pin 45 in the machine frame is a 'spring 46 which tends to hold it in one pd sition, said-stud serving to mount at its outer end an arm 47. The arm 47 extends to a point beneath the top of the casin and the periphery of any coin coming out through the slot in the hopper wall and stop its further progress. It is to this position that the spring 46 tends to force the parts abo-v named. i

The pin 45. (seethe detail views Figs. 10 to 17) is formed with its inner end as a thin fiatplate 49 having a notch 49 therein. A latch 50, mountedon a stud 51 on the machine frame, lies with its end in contact with the flat end of the pin 45.

A swinging of this latch to'the right (Figure 17), will bring its end in registry with the notch in the said flat endand permit the pin to revolve and the spring on the pin to swing the stop finger up into the ,path of a coin.

The pawl 42 is formed with its inner end shaped like a T, as indicated at 52 in the small view alongside of Figure 2, with the one branch of the T adapted to strike the latch and swing said latch to a position to release the pin portion 49.

The positive stop is in the form of a screw 53, which is thus adjustable' i-n the frame and strikes the pawl carrying arm 41 as distinguished from the pawl and holds the pawl and arms against movement.

The pawl adjusting handle 54 is mounted on a shaft which carries a sleeve 55 thereon. As will be seen in Figure 17 this sleeve has a finger 56, which contacts with the T- shaped end of the pawl when the shaft is rocked to tip the pawl away from ratchet engaging position. It also has asegmentalshaped portion 57 which is so positioned as to come down on the one edge of the flattened endof the pin 45 and rock the pin so as to retract the coin stopping finger. A. spring 54 keeps this adjusting or setting device in normal position out of the way of the parts named. a

When the pin 45 is rocked back to its aeaaoia normal position of retraction, the latch will be swung by the portion 57 out of the.

notch 49 again so as to'engage the side of the fiat portion i9 beyond the notch therein and thus hold the parts inretractcd position with the stop pin 48, out of the path of the coins.

33 in the collar.

the adjusting head 37 and thus positioning the movable stop 33. The spring 22, mounted on the shaft 22 and connected to a post 22 on the machine frame tends to .revolve the shaft and with it the pawl to a position to bring the pawl around to the movable stop. The operator first p'ressesthe handle 54 that trips over the pawl, so that the pawl can. swing and thus .the shaft. It

is to be noted that the collar 32 that'carries the'arm 33, may be held tight against dislodgment by a pin 32*, (Fig. 1) that will be arranged to engage one of a series of holes been set for a number of coins, the operator revolves the table as described.

When the'star wheel has revolved sufficiently to carry the gear i0, ratchet 43, pawl and pawl carrier and shaft 22 to a position such that the pawl'will contact with the fixed stop 53,. the star wheel can no longer revolve, since the pinion 4L thereon can no longer revolve the gear 40. Also when this has occurred due to the pawl 42 holding .the ratchet 43 against movement,

the latch holding the coin stoppingpin will be shifted by the wing 52 of the'pawl 4:2, permitting the coin stopping pin to move up into position to'blockany more coins from getting into mesh with the star wheel as the latch 51 willthen register with the notch 49% The device for limiting but onecoin at a time to get out of the slot in the hopper wall comprises a plate (Figs. 1 and 4) which has an ear 61 depending through an opening in the machine top, where. it is en gaged by a feed screw 62 (Figure 4).

This plate has its inner edge formed at a slant, as at 63 (Fig. 1), forming a funnellike mouth adjacent the coin slot, and the remainder of the edge of the plate is formed to lie in the coin chute, as at 64:, with an undercut portion 65. The wall of the portion 64:, with reference to the inner wall of the coin chute in the machine top, forms a passage constricted enough, dependent, upon the adjustment, to permit but one coin to pass After the machine has at the same time and to hold the coins up against the star wheel against sliding or tipping.

Mounted on a stud 66 (Figs. 6 and 7) to one side of the coin slot is an arm 67 having an adjustable abutment screw 68 at its free end. Intermediate the ends of this arm is a tongue 69 which is so placed that it depends across the front ofthe coin slot and thus confines its height. The abutment screw lies in contact with a beveled projection 70 on the upper face of the plate 60, so .that as the plate 60 is moved in for smallor coins, the free end of the arm will fall of its own weight, making the effective opening through the slot smaller in height. This will exclude more than one thickness of coin from passing through the slot at one time, and since the various coins vary in thickness, it is a. simple matter to arrange the beveled projection so that the adjustment ofthe plate will adjust the tongue to correspond for any one coin.

For permitting a counting of a batch of I coins without limit to the movement of the star wheel, I provide a fixed stop (Fig. 3'), which is so located that when the parts have been moved to an' indication marked zero on the dial 39 this will result in mo.V- ing the arm 33 beyond the fixed stop 80. This fixed stop .is so'positioned and shaped that it does not act on the pawl so as to throw it into mesh with the ratchet, but merely holds it out of mesh, until such time as the arm 33 is moved around away from zero, thereby forcing the pawl into mesh again.- 7

Where the ratchet teeth are one for each step of movement of the star wheel, thecontrol of the number of coins counted can be-for any odd or even number. Where the teeth are, for example, one for every five steps of the star Wheel, then the control of .number of coins will be by fives.

Where the control is by fives, it will be evident that after a counting in blocks and a moving back of the arm, that the operator will have to add into the register by a hand manipulation of the star wheel shaft, before the pawl will mesh with the ratchet. This addition into themachine will bring the register back to a multiple of five again, thereby facilitating the check on the number of coins counted by limited number.

It is not believed necessary to detail further the operation of the device. It will be apparent that the various objects as outlined are accomplished by the structure described, and it is desired to note that the omission of mention of equivalent structures is notintended as a limitation of the claims that follow.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is ing the number of coins moved past said 1. In a coin counting machine, means com prising a coin operated member for registermember, and means for limiting the number of individual movements of the coin operated member,, said means comprising a manually adjustable starting block member, a stopping member and a member driven by the coin operated member between said starting and. stopping members in a path'toward the fixed stop; said stopping member adapted to release a spring actuated member adapted to block the coins from the coin operated members. 1

2. In a coin counting machine, a coin operated star wheel or the like, a member driven by the star wheel, and means for limiting the movement of the member driven by the thereof, after the selected number of movestar wheel comprising a ratchet and pawl mechanism, a fixed stop to limit the movement of said mechanism in one direction, a movable stop tolimit the movement thereof in another direction, said mechanism being connected to the driven member to engage and hold it when against the fixed stop.

8. In a coin counting machine, the combination with a coin operated star wheel, of

a member interconnected with and mov-' ing step by step with the star wheel, an end stop and a stop adjustable to aplurality of active positionsover and connected to the moving member and adapted to contact with theend stop and said end stop adapted to release a spring actuated member to block the coins from the star wheel.

4. In a coin counting machine, the oombination with a coin operated star wheel, of a member driven by-said star wheel, a stop mounted in the machine, and an abutment to engage said stop, said abutment being adjustable over the driven member and'connected 'thereto', and means compris ing another stop, and a spring connected to said abutment, for adjustably locating it with relation to the driven member.

5. Ina coin counting machine, the combination with a coin operated star wheel, of,

a ratchet driven by the star wheel, a pawl and carrier movable about said ratchet for engagement therewith, and adjustable means for limiting the movement of the pawl *and .means, said controllable means comprising a pawl to engage said movable member, means for stopping said pawl at a fixed point, and means for throwing the pawl out of mesh with said member and moving it to another mea ow and adjustably selected point and there engaging it with the said member.

In a coin counting machine, the combination with a coin operated star wheel, of

means movable step by step with the star binationwith a coin operated star wheel, of

means for feeding coins thereto, means con 't'rollable'by the operator for limiting the number of movements ofthe star wheel, and automatic means for blocking the access of coins to the star wheel upon the stopping ments. 7 1

9. In a coin counting machine, the combination with a coin operated star wheel, of

a ratchet driven thereby, a pawl, means for throwing the pawl ,into and out of mesh with the ratchet, a fixed stop for the pawl and an adjustable stop for the pawl.

10. In a coin counting machine, the com bination with a sta r Wheel driven ratchet, a pawl adapted to engage'said ratchet, a fixed stop for the pawl, means for throwing the pawl out of mesh-with the ratchet, a

movable stop for the pawl adapted to move thepawl back into mesh with the ratchet, and-means for moving the pawl while out of mesh with the ratchet.

11; In acoin countin machine, the combination. with a star w eel driven ratchet, a pawl adapted] to engage said ratchet, a fixed stop for thepawlfmeans for throwing the pawl out of mesh with the ratchet, a movable stop for the pawl adapted to move the pawl back into mesh with the ratchet, and means for moving the pawl.

while out of mesh with the ratchet, said means comprising a spring for moving the pawl, and a manually controlled member for shifting thepawl out of mesh.

12. In a coin counting machine, the combination with a star wheel driven ratchet,

a pawl adapted to engage saidratchet, a

fixed stop for the pawl, means for throwing the pawl out of mesh'with the ratchet, a movable stop for the pawl adapted to move the pawl back into mesh with the ratchet,

and means for moving the .pawl while out of mesh with the ratchet, said means comprising a spring for moving the pawl, and

armanually controlled member for shifting 4 the pawl out of mesh, and a device for. stopping the operation of the machine also controlled by said manually controlled member.

13. In acoin oounting. machine, a star" wheel driven by coins, a device for limiting the number of star wheel revolutions, means for resetting said device, and a stop to prevent access of coins to the star wheel, said stop operated by the limiting device and reset by the setting means.

' 14. In a coin counting machine, a star wheel driven by coins, an intermediate member driven by the star wheel, a device mounted on the intermediate member for limiting thenumber of revolutions of the intermediate member, said device comprising a member adapted to engage and be disengaged from operative control of the intermediate member, and means for controlling the limit of movement or said device, and another member for disengaging the said device from operative control of the intermediate member.

15. In a coin counting machine, a star wheel driven by the coin, an element including an adjustable member for controlling the number of coin actuationsof the star wheel, said element also including a reversely movable device under control of a spring and a trip for releasing said device for a resetting-after each cycle .of operations. 7

16. In acoin pounting machine, a star wheel driven by' the coins, agear driven by the star wheel, a ratchet forming part of said gear, a pawl carrier,.a-pawl on the carrieradapted to move into and out of mesh with the ratchet, a fixed stop adapted to hold the pawl, a movable stop adapted to position the pawl and force itfinto mesh with the ratchet, and meanafor moving the mesh with the ratchet, a fixed stop adapted to hold the pawl, a movable stop adapted to position the pawl and force it into mesh with the ratchet, and means formoving the pawl out of mesh with the ratchet while against the fixed stop and resetting it into contact with the movable stop, said resetting means comprising a spring.

18. In a coin counting machine, a star wheel driven by the coins, a gear driven by the star wheel, a ratchet forming part of said gear, a pawl carrier, a pawl on the carrier adapted to move into and out of mesh with the ratchet, a fixed stop adapted to hold the pawl, a movable stop adapted to position the pawl and force it into mesh with the ratchet, and means for moving the pawl out of mesh with the ratchet while against the fixed stop and resetting it into contact with the movable stop, a coin stop, and means ionsetting it into coin releasing position simultaneously with resetting the pawl moving means.-

' 19. In combination, a coin hopper, a star wheel, means near the star Wheel for feeding coins upon delivery thereto by the hopper, a table formed with a channel, in'which the star wheel lies, and adjustable means for controlling the width of said channel, said hopper having a slot opening into the channel, and means for controlling the width of said slot, said means being jointly ,and simultaneously operable with the channel width controlling means.

20. In a coin counting machine, the combination with a coin operated star wheel,-

of means movable step by step with the star wheel, and means controllable by the operator and movable independently of the star wheel, for permitting any desired number of step-by-step movements of said movable means, and means for permitting an un-' limited number of operations of the star wheel, and a third stop adapted to hold the pawl out of contact with the ratchet.

21. In a coin counting machine, a star 1 wheel driven by the coins, a gear driven by the star wheel, a ratchet forming part of said gear, a pawl carrier, a pawl'on the carrier adapted to move into and out of mesh with the ratchet, afixed stop adapted v to hold the pawl, a movable stop adapted to position the pawl and force it into mesh with the ratchet, and means for moving the pawl out of mesh with the ratchet, while against the fixed stop and resetting it into contact with the movable stop, said resetting means comprising a spring, and another fixed stop adapted to limit the movement of the pawl away from the first fixed stop, said other fixed stop being adapted to hold the pawl out of contact with the acoin chute or channel, said parts beingadapted and arranged to leave the coin exposed to view at least in part throughout its entire path, from the hopper past the star wheel and feeding means and through the chute, said chute having a side wall having an overhanging lip to lie over the coin partially without entirely enclosing the coin. a v

24, In a coin bination of a hopper, a starwheel, means for feeding coins past the star wheel, and

counting machine, the com- I a coin chute or channel, said parts being adapted and arranged to leave the coin exposed to View at least inpart throughout its entire path, from the hopper past the star wheel and feeding means and through the chute, said means for feeding coinspast the star Wheel, comprising a feed roller lo cated below the star Wheel, and an idler roller above the feed roller, but of insufficient thickness to obstruct View of the coin. 25. In combination with means for feedmg coins, an element actuated by-the coins,

t awlea 'rou'nter moYing with said element to count operated to block coins before they come into actuating position with said element, means for releasing the coin actuated element for further predetermined operations,

said means adapted also to move the coin stop out of coin engaging position.

CLEMENT LEE DOWNEY. 

